KUCHING: Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) yesterday confirmed that three incumbent MPs will be re-nominated as the party’s candidates in the coming general election.
They are Datuk Jacob Dungau Sagan (Baram), Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing (Bintulu) and Jelaing Mersat (Saratok).
The fate of Mas Gading MP Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe is still in the dark as the Supreme Council could not “conclude on his status at the moment — whether he
will re-nominated or not” for the coming general election.
SPDP president Tan Sri William Mawan made the announcement at a press conference yesterday after the Supreme Council meeting at party headquarters in Jalan Baharuddin here.
Mawan said that the Supreme Council could not come up with any conclusion about Dr Tiki’s fate.
“We have yet to hear from the MP (Dr Tiki) himself and about his performance as he was not present at the meeting,” he said.
“SPDP is doing its part and all the Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties are consolidating themselves and we all are ready to face the coming parliamentary election,” he added
Mawan, who is Minister of Social Development and Urbanisation said that he had nominated himself as the party chairperson for the coming general election to ensure smooth operation.
Meanwhile, Sagan who is a four-term Baram
MP and Deputy Minister of International Trade
and Industry said that he was ready and would work hard to ensure party victory and also for the BN government.
In 2008, the SPDP senior vice-president won the Baram seat by garnering 7,996 votes against SNAP’s Kebing Wan who only garnered 3,952 votes.
Mersat, a two-term Saratok MP said that he was glad to be re-nominated by the party and as chairman of his election machinery, he was ready to face any challenge from whoever stand against him.
Although he acknowledged the defeat of the Krian assemblyman Datuk Peter Nyarok who is also the party deputy president, he is unperturbed by the opposition in his constituency.
“I am more concerned about providing development to my constituency rather than the opposition or the candidate,” he said.
Jelaing said that he was not sure whether the general election would be held this year and did not like to speculate even though he’s nearer to the leaders at the federal level.
In 2008, he won by getting 12,470 votes against
PKR’s Mohd Yahya Abdullah who only obtained 3,764 votes.
Tiong, who is chairman of the BN Backbencher and Bintulu MP, who declined to comment much about his preparation for the coming election.
In 2008, he won by getting 23,628 votes against DAP’s Lim Su Kien who only obtained 8,662 votes.
A source within the
party said that with the absence of Dr Tiki, who is one of the party’s vice-presidents, at yesterday’s Supreme Council meeting, Mas Gading could possibly see a new candidate replacing him.
Dr Tiki is one of the ‘SPDP Five’ who is referred to the disciplinary committee headed by Professor Dr Shafiq Abdullah, which in two weeks time will decide on their fate.
SPDP Supreme Council meeting is held once every three months.
Yesterday’s meeting was attended by 21 out of 33 members.
SPDP has six state seats and four parliamentary seats.